Frances F. Smith

January 22, 2000|COMPILED BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS-VALQUI DAILY PRESS

WILLIAMSBURG — Frances Fabbro Smith, 71, of Williamsburg, died Jan. 20, 2000, after a long illness.

She is survived by her husband, Charles W. Smith of Williamsburg; daughters, Rena S. Dietrich, and her husband, Dr. Henry T. Dietrich III, and their three children, Ellen, Sarah and Eric Dietrich, all of Lock Haven, Pa., Dr. Catherine C. Smith of Fairfax, and Julia S. Humphries, and her husband, Kenneth W. Humphries, and their two children, Kyle and Kevin Humphries, all of Leesburg; her son, Christopher F. Smith of New York, N.Y.; and her sister and brother-in-law, Rena and Earl Kidder of Northville, Mich.

Frances was a member of St. Bede's Roman Catholic Church.

Frances was born in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of Louis and Alphonsina Pitagora Fabbro. She graduated from the University of Detroit and taught in elementary schools in the Detroit area before becoming a flight attendant (then called stewardess) for Northwest Airlines. After marriage in 1958, Frances taught in the Fairfax Elementary School, Fairfax, until she and her husband left for Vienna, Austria, where they attended the University of Vienna. Their first child was born in Vienna.

Other than for a great number of volunteer jobs, including teaching in Christian education programs and in elementary literacy programs for U.S. military members, Frances did not work outside the home again until 20 years later in Frankfurt, Germany, where she worked part-time for the U.S. Army Engineers. From 1981 to 1984, Frances was an historical interpreter, in costume, at Colonial Williamsburg, and from 1989 to early 1994 she was employed as a museum monitor for Colonial Williamsburg. Interspersed with two tours in Europe, Frances has lived in Williamsburg since 1974. Since her marriage in 1958, Frances lived with her husband and family in Vienna, Austria; Athens, Greece; and Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Bonn, Germany. Their four children were born in Vienna, Austria; Washington, D.C.; Athens, Greece; and (West) Berlin, Germany.

Viewing will be held Sunday, Jan. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. in St. Bede's Catholic Church, 500 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Monday the 24th with Father Fisher officiating. Interment will be private.